The Candy Stripper
by riot-o-curls
Summary: AU Misao has been assigned to a new mission, seducing a man who is susceptible to the wiles of women in order to bring back a box. Unfortunately, she has no idea who this man is.


**The Candy Stripper**

* * *

Disclaimer: Characters don't belong to me but to Nobuhiro Watsuki-san. I'm just using them for my own amusement.

* * *

"What did you want, Jiya?" Misao asked, her candy cane bobbing up and down in her mouth as she spoke.

"Take a seat." Okina gestured towards one of the large armchairs in front the wooden desk he sat. "It's time to give you a briefing on your next mission."

The petite woman, who had been slouching in the armchair, her candy cane sitting idle on her small mouth, straightened when she heard the word "mission."

"Really? What is it?" Misao almost bounced out of her chair in her excitement.

Okina rested his elbows on the desk and smirked behind his clasped hands before straightening. "You're going solo on this and it's quite simple."

"What?" she exclaimed. "But Jiya-"

"Let me finish," he said, holding up one hand. He shuffled through some folders next to him, muttering under his breath. "Let's see . . . Ah, here it is." He slid the folder over to Misao.

Eagerly, she snapped it up and chewed on her candy cane as she studied the files in them. She frowned at the single sheet of paper she found inside.

"Jiya, is this all there is to it?" She waved the sheet around in the air. She peered at the sheet in her hand again. "It says that I have to 'retrieve a priceless object' from 'an arrogant male who is easily susceptible to the wiles of women.' You've gotta be kidding me."

"Not at all, my dear. Like I already said, it'll be simple. I trust you to deal with this matter quickly and efficiently. You'll be done with this in no time," he said with assurance.

"But there's nothing else about him except that he's arrogant and where he's located." She rubbed her chin as she contemplated over the sheet in her hand. "Maybe I should go and do more resear-"

"Ah, no need to do that," Okina interrupted quickly, laughing a bit uneasily. "I forgot to mention to you that he's handsome. And I want you done with this mission quickly," he reminded her.

Misao gave him a disbelieving look. The old man smiled encouragingly back at her. Misao's eyes narrowed at him, as if trying to see the true purpose of what he really wanted.

Then she sighed, stuffing the paper back into the folder.

"Alright. I'll be done with this in two days tops."

* * *

Misao stood in front of two large wooden doors of a penthouse suite. For some reason, she couldn't shake the thousands of butterflies that fluttered around in her stomach. It wasn't that she wasn't nervous; more dangerous and risky missions never fazed her in the past.

_Ridiculous_, she thought to herself, _it's impossible for me to be so nervous before a mission._

For some reason, something in her gut kept saying it was a mistake in accepting the mission. First off, there was no name attached to the man. Sure it was going to be a quick mission, just go in, get the stuff and get out but it would have been nice if she knew the name. Even after trying to bribe him with the promise of a young pretty woman to keep him company for the day, Okina had refused to give her the name.

She sighed and adjusted the scarf around her neck. She supposed the name wasn't that important but still, Okina's stubbornness was making her become more and more skeptical about the whole thing. She needed time to start on her plan for the mission so, after a few hours of trying everything she had to get the name, she easily gave up trying to pry the name out of the old man.

She reached out to ring the doorbell again, impatient to get the mission done.

Suddenly one of the doors opened and Misao nearly jumped back, squelching the yelp that threatened to come out.

"Misao?" A tall man stood in front her, impeccable in his dark blue business suit. "Was there an appointment that I wasn't aware of?"

Misao gaped at the man and began cursing Okina in her mind. She was supposed to retrieve the object from _him_ of all people! Well, no wonder the old man refused to give her his name. How was she going to complete her mission when she had to face the okashira of the Oniwabanshu, Shinomori Aoshi? The cool iceman, who had the looks of a model that would attract hordes of women if it weren't for his aloof personality, whom she admired and worshipped as a child, and whom she's hopelessly falling in love with; she would have to trick him!. He would know as soon as she stepped inside. She was always open around him, her emotions always on her face (though not her infatuation, she thought in relief). And her plan! The plan that she had painstakingly put together would definitely not work, not against someone whom she knew kept a strict self-control of himself and his emotions. She should have recognized the building, should've paid attention to where he lived at least. Damn it, damn it . . .

"Misao? Are you alright?"

Her head jerked up. "Ah, yeah, I'm fine." Her mind raced, trying to find some foothold to keep herself from completely falling apart. "Do you think I could get something to drink? I'm a little thirsty."

"Come in," he said, stepping back to allow her inside his suite. He shut the door behind her and with a hand on the small of her back, he guided her to a large room, her black high-heeled pumps softly clattering against the polished hardwood. She nearly swooned at the firm and comforting feel of his hand at her back.

"Make yourself comfortable." Then he turned and headed towards one of the doorways that surrounded the room.

Misao barely heard him, too much in an awe of the extravagance of the room. For someone whom she considered being simple and practical, she would never thought that his living quarters would turn out to be so . . . so lavish. She reached out to delicately touch a vase that held a bouquet of flowers. _Where did he get all this?_ Then she straightened abruptly, remembering why she was there in the first place.

She collapsed onto the nearest sofa and promptly sank into its softness. She sighed at the softness, akin to the feeling of sinking into a large cloud, and settled herself on it comfortably. Then she straightened again, reprimanding herself. _No, I'm not supposed to be relaxing. Not yet, not until I'm done with this mission,_ she thought to herself firmly. She looked around her, taking in the extravagance and spacious room. _If I can do this,_ she thought in despair.

She opened the small handbag and began ruffling through it's contents. _Nope, can't use that. No, that won't even work against him or maybe . . . Let's see, there's gotta be something I can use against him!_

She began chewing on a fingernail, looking around. Then it hit her. _Duh, the object could be laying around here somewhere. I could get it and be done with the mission without letting Aoshi knowing anything about it._ Misao began looking around the room, trying to figure out where it could be hiding. _According to the briefing, it's a slim five by thirteen wooden box so where could it be . . .?_

"Are you comfortable wearing that?"

Misao jumped up from the sofa, surprised at the question, and spun around to face Aoshi.

He held a tea tray in his hands and was watching her with a curious light in his cool blue eyes. He strode towards her and set the tray down on the glass coffee table next the sofa.

"Aren't you warm?"

Misao looked down at herself, a bit confused at his question. As far as she could see, there was nothing wrong with the blue scarf around her neck or the cream-colored woolen coat she wore. The weather was becoming a bit chilly lately so . . . . _Well, it was becoming a bit too warm_, she realized slowly.

"Oh!" Hastily, she began unraveling the scarf around her neck, cursing to herself softly. She had forgotten that she was inside a heated room and not outside in the early cold of winter. Then she became entangled in the long length of it, clumsily trying to figure out where the scarf began and ended. Long fingered hands entered her vision and helped her remove the scarf around her neck.

"Ah, there's no need- really, Aoshi, I can do this-"

Then, she found herself bereft of a scarf and in close proximity to Aoshi, gazing up at that can-only-belong-to-gods beautiful face. An eyebrow rose on that handsome face and he tilted his head to the side.

Quickly, she stepped back, hiding the blush that appeared on her cheeks by fumbling with the large buttons on her coat. _It's a good thing I put my hair up else I would have run out of this screaming._

"Um, could you pour me some of that tea, Aoshi? I'm really famished."

_What's wrong with me?_ She thought to herself, flustered. _This is just Aoshi, my leader and my friend. Why'm I acting so nervous and twitchy around him? Maybe it has to do with the mission and not the fact that I'm in his residence and that he's looking so damned hot today._ She shook her head to shake out the last thought. Finally, she managed to remove that last button and slid out of her thick coat, setting it on the back of the couch.

The clattering of a teapot clumsily clashing against a teacup made her look up and at Aoshi, who was busily wiping away a nonexistent spot on the clear coffee top.

Misao straightened her gray form-fitting dress and adjusted the sleeves of her slim dark blue sweater as she approached Aoshi, thinking that if she was close enough to the tea, she could drug his cup. Instead, she found herself facing a teacup.

_Damn._ "Ah, thanks. I really needed that cup," she said, smilingly, taking the cup from him. Their fingers brushed and a hot pleasant shiver went down her arm and up her spine. Quickly, she turned away to hide the blush that arose on her cheeks, mentally chastising herself for blushing, and took a sip of her tea. Misao sighed and couldn't help the shiver that ran through her body as the warm tea slid down her throat. She reached out to the tea tray. "Here, Aoshi, let me-"

"I'm not thirsty."

_Damn, foiled again_. "Oh." She took a sip of her tea, thinking, _I need to find a way to get him unconscious._ "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"No. However, I am expecting company in a few minutes."

Misao held back the splutter and instead gulped a large portion of her tea. _Could he be expecting . . . me? _The tea quickly went down her throat and she coughed.

Aoshi looked down at her, his eyes narrowing a bit. "Is something wrong?"

"Ah, no," Misao took in a deep breath; pounding her chest a bit to help the tea go down properly. "Um, so, uh, who are you waiting for?"

Aoshi's eyes seemed to linger on the deep V of her sweater where it showed off the top of the dress and the small shadow of her cleavage. He opened his mouth to answer, his eyes still on her chest when a phone rang.

Suddenly, his eyes snapped off to the side. "Excuse me."

Breathless, Misao watched him practically race off to answer the phone. She wasn't sure but were his eyes actually looking down there? She looked down and at the small valley there created by a padded bra. She patted the small mounds of her breasts, a slow smile coming to her lips, remembering that soft glow in his eyes. Maybe she could pull her plan off. But while he was away, she could look around a bit for the artifact before having a bit of fun.

Aoshi found her bent over an opened drawer, her butt in the air, the slender cheeks pressed taught against the firm cloth of her gray dress. He cleared his throat, not only for her benefit but to also clear a throat that had suddenly closed in on him at the enticing sight.

Misao straightened abruptly and nearly slammed her fingers shut with the drawer, twirling around to face him, her face an innocent expression.

"Uh, I was looking for the phone, because I left my cell phone behind and I needed to make a phone call to Kaoru-san about something important, so, I was wondering if I could use your phone?" She finished off lamely, her laughing high-pitched and nervous.

Aoshi's eyes narrowed, all the clues coming together, her unusual behavior including the form-fitting outfit and the recent phone call from Okina. The old man didn't reveal everything about what was going on but it was enough for Aoshi to discern the true reason why she was there. He would let her go on with whatever she had planned before he stepped in.

"You can use the phone in my office," he said, leading the way.

Misao followed him, the butterflies fluttering madly in her stomach. He had caught her going through his things and she wondered if he knew the real reason why she was doing here.

Aoshi pulled open his office door and let her go in first. She walked past him, smiling at him. Catching sight of the phone on the desk, she headed towards it, her intent to call Okina and threaten him in secret code. Then she heard the soft clicking of a door locking behind her.

She twirled around to see Aoshi, his back against the door, watching her with cool, knowing eyes, his arms across his chest. _He knows!_

He pushed himself away from the door, past her still form, and to his desk. He took off his suit coat, draped on the back of his chair, and loosened the tie from around his neck.

"Whatever you're looking for isn't here."

Misao's shoulders twitched.

"I just received a phone call from Okina but he didn't reveal what his true intentions were. Perhaps you might know something."

_That traitor! Just wait until I get my hands on him!_ Briefly, her hands curled into claws before they relaxed.

Misao sighed and turned to face him. "Oh, well, no point in trying to still act like I'm gonna steal from you. To tell you the truth, I don't know what Okina wanted from you. He just wanted some box that had something important in it."

"I see," he responded thoughtfully, his eyes on her.

Her hands went up to remove the pins that held her hair in a loose bun atop her head. "Since the act's over, I can relax. You don't mind, do you Aoshi?" Her hair tumbled down around her shoulders in soft waves and she dropped the pins on the floor. Then, she patted herself, a thoughtful expression on her face, her hands wandering up her thighs, across her slim hips, around her waist, and finally up her breasts. Her face brightened as she fingered the space between her breasts. She smiled at him, beamed at him. "I brought some candy canes as a treat after I finished the job but since it's over . . . ," she trailed off, frowning, concentrating on dislodging the treats between her breasts. She cursed softly, to Aoshi's amusement, as she looked down her dress, her hair a soft curtain around her face.

"Damn this tight dress."

Then, Aoshi found his mouth becoming dry as she began unbuttoning her slim sweater. She dropped the sweater on the floor, revealing a strapless dress. She began walking towards him, her hands busy at the zipper underneath her left armpit.

"Aoshi, could you help me out here? The damned zipper stuck."

Aoshi remained in his chair, taken aback at the slim sight coming towards him. Her small breasts were high on her chest. The cloth of the dress stretched across them, and down her slim waist, her slender hips, and stopping at mid-thigh. Her long slender legs were encased in black hose and were emphasized by the black pumps she had on. Her hands were wondering in places where he wanted his hands to be. Never had he thought that his wildest dreams would be coming true. Perhaps the gods were blessing him for restraining his desire for her for so long every time she was around.

She stopped in front of his desk, giving a sound of triumph as the zipper gave way. She wriggled out of her dress, rolling the dress down her chest, the slim abdomen and hips, and down the long legs. She kicked it away from her and also kicked out of her heels, sending them flying in opposite directions. Then she straightened and began climbing onto his desk.

Aoshi could feel the blood rushing to his head and to prevent a nosebleed from trickling down his nose, rested his head against his fisted hand. He could also tell that the blood was going down to other places and he crossed his legs, resting his left ankle against his right knee.

Misao settled herself in front of him, her legs slightly spread, her small pink tongue peeking out from between her lips as she searched for the candy canes between her breasts. As her concentration was elsewhere, Aoshi allowed himself to observe the scantily clad Misao. If her tight fitting dress wasn't enough to tease him into arousal, then her underwear finished the job. A dark violet corset covered in black lace covered her slim chest, pushing the small breasts upward and creating that delicious cleavage. Slowly, his eyes wandered down, taking in the taught spread of pale skin from where the corset ended and her garter belt began. Her garter belt, made of black lace, stretched across her hips. From them, two equal lengths of lace clipped onto black thigh high stockings. Her low cut bikinis were made out of lace and, it seemed to him, covered the most interesting parts of her. His fingers tightened in their fisted positions, anticipating the moment when he would remove them.

"Aha! Here they are." Her triumphant voice brought him back to situation at hand and a candy cane was held in front of his face. "You want one?" she asked around the candy cane that already rested in her mouth.

Though it might seem as though Misao was calm, it was quite the opposite inside. Inside, she was trembling, whether of nerves or anticipation, she didn't know. She succeeded in catching his attention with her strip show, in which she trembled in anxiety as she began unbuttoning her sweater. But she was enjoying this moment,surprisingly, even though it soon wouldn't be for Aoshi.

His hand reached out for the candy cane and Misao watched him, carefully deciding on her timing. When his fingers were centimeters away from touching the candy, her hand whipped out and aimed towards his head.

Calmly, his other hand caught her hand and gripped it firmly. Undeterred, he took the candy cane from her mouth and put it in his, a glint appearing in his ice blue eyes.

Misao gulped. _Oh no, dangerous, dangerous, dangerous man I'm dealing with here. This doesn't look good._

Then she found herself spun around and facing the door. She gasped as she realized that she was encased tightly in Aoshi's embrace, his hands holding her wrists firmly together between her spread legs. Her candy canes were on his desk, one wrapped and one unwrapped. His voice came over her shoulder; warm and sensual against her bare skin.

"I had expected the seduction routine and for you to follow through it but I didn't anticipate you actually hurting me," his voice low.

She laughed uneasily. "Well, neither did I."

"I see."

His lips whispered across her skin. She shivered as heat bloomed there and quickly spread throughout her body.

"Tell me. What did Okina want from me?"

"I told you I don't know! It was part of the mission I had been assigned to do."

"Ah. Well, I congratulate you on your mission. You've succeeded in accomplishing what you had been sent out to do."

Misao opened her mouth, ready to question him when she found herself being spun around again, this time straddling his lap and facing him.

Long fingered hands slowly traveled up her stocking covered thighs. Misao sucked in a quick breath, meeting the slowly burning blue eyes and seeing his intent.

"Are you hiding anything else?"

Misao could feel her face heating up and delicious shivers travel up and down her spine as his hands reached her hips. His fingers went behind her and one finger slowly searched underneath the low bikini, the caress curious and sensual. She couldn't help but arch into the soft touch, helping him with his search, and her hands gripped his shoulders. Slowly, her eyes still on him, she shook her head.

"Hmm," he murmured. "I believe you but to make sure . . ."

His hands continued, going upwards, spanning the small waist, briefly cupping the small breasts, and slowly caressing the bare flesh above the corset. A careful finger explored the shallow crevice between her breasts created by the corset. With his eyes still locked on hers, he let his finger go deeper between her breasts, his feather light searching caressing each side of her breasts. Misao arched her back as heat flooded her body, urging him to increase the pressure of his touches.

Aoshi removed his finger and he kissed the enticing valley between her breasts, his tongue dipping in slightly as if to taste the smallest trace of candy canes. Misao clutched his head closer to her, her back arched, her breath coming in soft pants. His lips roamed upwards, open-mouthed and wet, touching the hollow at her throat, underneath the delicate curve of jaw line, and briefly sucking her pulse point. She whimpered and wriggled closer to him, her hips innocently grinding against the hard press of his groin. A near silent groan escaped him and he gathered her tight into his arms, one of his hands buried in her hair and one splayed across the small of her back.

His lips touched hers gently, like the ones in her dreams, soft and exploratory. But Misao quickly caught onto the fundamentals of the kiss and pressed her lips urgently against him, wanting something to cool down that hot urgency in her.

His head rolled back against the back of the chair as he let the hungry kisses of the woman on his lap briefly control the situation. He let out a pleased sound deep in his throat, feeling that rush of desire roar through him. His control was nearly non-existent and, gripping the back of her neck, he slowed down their kisses, realizing that he was that close to taking her right there in his office chair.

Misao whimpered and rocked against him impatiently, her lips pressing against the hot beating pulse of his throat.

"No," he murmured against her neck and her throaty protests. "Not here."

He picked her up, Misao's legs clamped tightly around him as she panted against his neck. He headed towards one of the doors in his office. Aoshi opened the door, revealing a simply furnished bedroom. Carefully, he placed her on the cool sheets of the bed. Locking her legs around his waist, Misao surged upwards to kiss him but he pulled away, removing her legs and arms from around him.

Misao whimpered and sat up to see him sitting back on his heels, his breathing coming out as heavily as hers.

"Will this be part of your mission?" he asked her, watching her intently with those burning ice-blue eyes.

At first, she was confused. _What mission? As far as I'm concerned, the mission's over._ She crawled up to him, her hands climbing up the taught muscled thighs and up the broad chest, until she was on her knees leaning against him, her arms wrapped around his neck. "I don't care about the mission. I just want you."

"Is that so," he answered, gathering her into his arms and pressing her gently into the mattress.

"Yup," she smiled as their lips met. After that, there was no time for hesitations, only a feverish need to touch and explore.

Aoshi rolled over onto his back, his hands busy with the corset.

"How-"

"Hooks. You unhook them in the back."

The last hook came undone and the corset was sent flying through the air. Aoshi ran his hands down her bottom, squeezed and rolled over again, covering Misao's lips with another kiss. His lips left hers to travel down her neck and down her chest. Misao's body arched and she closed her eyes in pleasure. Her hands wandered over his shirt covered back, trying to find the smooth hard flesh.

"You have too much clothes on."

"Hm."

He helped her remove his shirt, helping her pull them from around his waist, and unbutton the buttons. Impatient, she ripped through the buttons and her hands greedily explored the broad warm expanse underneath. Eventually, as she explored him, the shirt joined the corset on the floor and not long after that, his pants and briefs.

Misao wanted to explore all of him, wanting to know what pleased him, what would make him beg for more. But Aoshi firmly kept her in control, keeping her in mind of what her own body begged for, teasing her slowly and she would respond to him by returning his caresses with her own. All too soon, there was only the need to mate and they moved together gently, seeking the pleasure that they both sought in each other as their cries filled the room.

Misao woke up the next morning; her body wonderfully rested and a bit sore in spots she didn't realize could be sore. Smiling smugly at the memories of last night, she stretched against the rumpled sheets and curled up against the warm body next to her. She frowned, feeling cool space instead, and patted the space next to her. Her searching fingers encountered the touch of something smooth and flat. Sitting up, she rubbed her eyes and looked over. Instead of Aoshi sleeping next to her, there was a box. It was the box she had come for.

* * *

"Here's what you wanted, Jiya."

The old man looked up as a box was thrown on top of his desk of papers.

"Ai-ya! Don't do that!" he scolded her, carefully picking up the wooden box. "It's fragile!"

Carefully, he set the box aside and looked carefully at the woman in front of him. A narrow crease had appeared between her brows as if she was deeply contemplating something, an unusual expression for her when she would be beaming in pride or giving him a cocky smirk after finishing a mission.

"Is there something wrong?"

She sighed, her gaze resting on the old man. Catching the concerned look in his eyes, Misao produced a smile. "No, nothing's the matter." She turned away, waving. "I'm gonna go into my room to rest a bit and then go eat out. I'll catch you later."

She had reached the door and was about to pull it open when Okina's voice calling out her name stopped her. She turned around, a questioning look coming over her face.

"Wait. I think this box belongs to you," Okina said, sliding the wooden box over to her, a mysterious smile on his lips and a wine bottle suddenly sitting on top of his desk next to him.

She gaped at the wine bottle on his desk. "Is that all you wanted from him? A wine bottle?"

"Ah, but it's not any wine bottle." He caressed the glass of the bottle lovingly. "This, my dear, contains the finest wine bottled. Almost a hundred years, as a matter of fact."

"So, I went through all the trouble-" she cut herself off when Okina's eyebrow rose in interest at her slip. She coughed and continued, "So, you just wanted some wine. Couldn't you've just asked?"

"Bah, there's no fun in just asking and he was being stubborn about it too," he said, pouting a bit. Recognizing the dark look coming over Misao's face, he quickly diverted the conversation elsewhere.

He tapped the wooden box. "Why don't you take a look inside this box and rest for a bit? I'm sure whatever's inside here will cheer you up."

Misao hmphed, seeing his diversion, but curiosity over took her and she walked back to his desk to retrieve the box.

"Misao." She looked up at the serious tone in his voice, just as she was reaching for the box. "If there's anything that's troubling you, you know where to find me."

She smiled, this time giving him a genuine smile. Taking the box in her arms, she left his office. "I know, Jiya."

Half an hour later, he could hear her angry shout followed by equally angry stomping down the stairs and the sound of the front door slamming as she left.

"Poor Aoshi," he murmured as he swirled the wine around in his glass.

* * *

Aoshi unlocked the door to his suite and entered, unbuttoning his suit jacket and loosening the tie around his neck. The day was long and he was eager to see her and make love to her again. It was unfortunate that he had to leave before he could properly wake her up but he hoped that she understood the message he left her. He was certain that she had awakened as soon as he left and would misinterpret his intentions. Hopefully, the message he left her would answer some of her questions. Now, all he had to do was wait for her response.

He frowned. If she would make any.

He entered the opened door of his office and stopped at the doorway. Well, it seemed that he wouldn't have to wait long.

Misao was sitting in his plush desk chair, her bare feet planted on top of his desk. Her green eyes were gazing off to a corner of the room. A candy cane rested between those lips of hers and many others were littered across his desk. On her lap was a box filled with candy canes. To his disappointment, he noticed that she was wearing her usual clothing of a t-shirt and a pair of jeans, not the slim fitting dress nor the sexy underwear.

Her eyes swung to him when he entered the room and the candy cane that had been idly moving around in her mouth came to a standstill. Her arms crossed over her chest as her eyes narrowed at him.

Inwardly, he smiled. So she was upset. He understood now. He hoped he wouldn't grovel for her forgiveness for too long. And he wouldn't mind the makeup sex afterwards.

Putting aside the arrogant thoughts, he walked to his desk. Circling his desk, he came around to where she sat and rested his hips against his desk facing her, only a foot away from her legs.

"I see you received my message."

She hmphed and the candy cane began moving furiously. "Leaving me a box of candy canes and an invite to dinner to explain things won't make me forgive you."

He crept closer to her legs. "I regret not waking you up when I left. There was some unavoidable business that I had to attend to. I had hoped that you would still be sleeping until I returned but I misjudged your waking hours. Please accept my apology."

"Why should I forgive you?" she mumbled around her candy cane, her eyes stubbornly fixed on one of the candy canes on his desk.

Aoshi stepped closer to her legs until he was touching them, forcing her to look at him. "Because I love you."

She sputtered and her candy cane was sent flying across his desk. She sat up in his chair. "We just slept together for one night! How does that –."

"I fell in love with you long before last night, Misao," he stated, softly.

She quieted, staring up at him, her eyes wide on her face. "Oh." Looking away, a delicate blush touching her cheeks, she quietly muttered, "But there weren't any dates and –." She paused, fiddling with one of the candy canes on her lap. How was she supposed to know that he was in love with her? The damned man gave no indication whenever she was around him. Well, except for yesterday, shifting in her seat, remembering the delicious night. "How was I supposed to know," she muttered under her breath.

Hearing her, Aoshi took the box of candy canes from her lap and set it aside. Misao let out a startled gasp as he picked her up from his chair. Sitting himself down the now vacant chair, he settled her on his lap. She blushed furiously, feeling the slight bulge underneath her thigh and the immediate bolt of desire and lust warming her.

"Then, how should I show you?" he asked, securely keeping her in place on his lap.

She tapped her chin, apparently thinking. A little impatient, Aoshi nibbled on her neck to make her think faster.

Misao couldn't help herself and she purred, melting onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck. "That's good but," her voice wavering slightly, trying to sound stern, as he gently brushed his lips under the curve of her chin. "I want to go on dates. I want the flowers, the dinners, the whole thing; then maybe I'll forgive you."

"I see," he murmured against her collarbone. "Is there a way make you forgive me sooner?"

"No, until you . . . ah, stop that, Aoshi, I can't think. No wait, do that again." She sighed as he obeyed her. "You know that I'll always think of you as a friend, right Aoshi?"

" . . . Liar."

* * *

A/N: This silly little thing was created during, um, the winter of 2004, my first lemon, for the shinobilove winter challenge. Of course this is a cleaned up version 'cause I couldn't abide the horrendous lemon parts I put in. Believe me, you wouldn't like 'em. So after some major clean up, I'm pleased to present you with this.Enjoy. I heartily accept comments and criticisms! 


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